Moments
by EmbraceYourFREAK
Summary: "Whoever you are, I have always depended on the kindness of strangers." Tennessee Williams, A Streetcar Named Desire  Please R&R


**Hello everyone! I know I know, I'm writing this when I should be writing a new chapter to **_**Speak. **_**Well I'm sorry but, this story got into my head and the plot bunny WOULD NOT GO AWAY! **

**QUICK! Someone get the Holy Hand Grenade!**

**Naw, but anyway, here for you is a one shot based on the song **_**Moments **_**by Emerson Drive. I sincerely hope you go and listen to the song, though it is sad.**

**This is a modern AU and I don't own **_**Merlin, **_**and blah blah blah….**

**Let's do this!**

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><p>Arthur walked slowly, head down; tears silently slipped down his cheeks. They were warm on his face, contrasting with the cool wind that blew through the air. <em>Winter's on its way, <em>he thought silently. He wiped his face and quickened his step on the sidewalk. The street lights glowed yellow in the dark; Arthur looked up, and could see the East Street Bridge just up ahead. He smiled, but if another person or his wife saw it, they'd be appalled at how haunted and empty it was. Arthur made it to the bridge and just stared at it for a minute or two; as he stood there he noticed movement off to his right. He turned his head, and saw a homeless man crawl out of a large box on the river bank. Arthur just looked at him a moment longer, and walked out onto the bridge.

Once he'd made it halfway out, he stopped and turned to stare over the edge; it may not have been winter yet, but the water temperature was still bound to be below zero. He stared into the black depths, but looked up when he realized he wasn't alone. The homeless man had followed him onto the bridge, and was standing a few feet away; he just looked at Arthur. Arthur sighed and dug into his pocket, and pulled out some loose change; he really wouldn't need it after all. The man approached him, and when the street lamp cast its light on him, Arthur was slightly surprised to see that the man was only perhaps a few years his senior.

Arthur handed the man the change, and continued to stare over the edge of the bridge. The man's face, though somewhat hidden behind a mess of black hair, looked sad and ashamed.

"You know," he said, catching Arthur by surprise, "I haven't always been this way."

Arthur looked at the man with a kind of perplexed awe; the man just looked back solemnly, his blue eyes sparkled with unshed tears. He continued,

"I've had my moments, days in the sun, moments; I was second to none, moments, when I knew I did what I thought I couldn't do. Like the plane ride, coming home from the war last summer, when my son was born; memories like a coat so warm the cold wind can't get through." He turned to face the water for a moment, and then turned his attention back to Arthur, who was completely mesmerized by the man, "Lookin' at me now you might not know it, but I've had my moments."

Arthur didn't know what to say he stood completely still, and then turned to stare back at the water.

"What…what happened to them?" He asked. He didn't know that anybody had even died but, he had a feeling. The man calmly held Arthur's gaze; tears still threatened to fall from his blue eyes, but he held them back.

"Car crash," he said simply, "took my boy, and his mother. I did three tours in the Middle East and still made it out somewhat unscathed, but it only took a drunk driver to take the two most wonderful things in my life from me. I lost my job not long after, and resigned from active service; it didn't take long for me to get here, because I didn't have the will to get back onto my feet."

Arthur could feel tears once more on his face; here he stood on some bridge with a homeless man listening to his life story. Arthur took a deep breath, trying to gather up his nerve, when a thought occurred to him. _Will anybody miss me? Did this man have family somewhere, missing him? _

The man kept looking at Arthur, and looking down again. With him standing there, Arthur felt ashamed; he turned and looked at the man.

"You know I haven't always been this way." The man turned his attention to Arthur.

"I've had my moments, days in the sun, moments; I was second to none, moments, when I knew I did what I thought I couldn't do. Like the day I walked away from the wine, for a woman, who became my wife." He smiled fondly when he thought of Guinevere, "And I love that, when it was right, she could always see me through. Looking at me now you might not know it, but I've had my moments."

Arthur turned to face the man again; his face was wet with the tears that had finally fallen. Arthur put out his hand and the man shook it, and he smiled at Arthur; he had a very goofy smile and Arthur couldn't help but smile back at him. Arthur sighed.

"Well, goodbye, umm…" Arthur felt embarrassed that he didn't know the man's name, but the man kept smiling.

"Merlin," he said, "and goodbye to you…?"

Arthur laughed at the situation, he couldn't help it.

"Arthur."

Merlin smiled, and the two of them turned and headed back the way they came in silence; not even a word was said as they reached the end of the bridge.

And they went their separate ways.

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><p>Barely a day went by that Arthur didn't think about Merlin, and as winter came he thought of Merlin telling their story to others. The thought brought a pleasant smile to his face, not nearly as haunted as before.<p>

"What are you smiling about?"

Arthur turned to Guinevere, and smiled at her.

"Nothing." He replied simply.

Merlin stood with several others around a trashcan blazing with fire, and Merlin did tell the story, and he did so with a content smile.

"I've had my moments, days in the sun, moments I was second to none; moments when I knew I did what I thought I couldn't do. Like that cool night on the East Street Bridge and a young man almost ended it, but I was right there, wasn't scared a bit and I helped to pull him through. Looking' at me now you might not know it, but I've had my moments."

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><p><strong>Well, that's all you guys. I hope nobody was OOC, and that you liked it, and that you'll go listen to the song. You can probably tell that some lines are direct lyrics, and that is the way I wanted it because I love this song. <strong>

**Again, I hope you liked it, and I promise I am working whenever I get the chance on **_**Speak. **_**Thank you, PLEASE REVIEW EVEN IF IT'S JUST ONE WORD/SENTENCE! **


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